The Benchmark of Maturity: Part 1
by JazzJumper
Summary: Will a group of Autobots perish because of Hot Rod's actions?


It is the year 2000, and on Cybertron, Megatron and the other Decepticon forces have returned to Cybertron to drive the Autobots off it. The Decepticons have succeeded in expelling the Autobots from all but one of their strongholds, and they are already locked in battle to destroy this stronghold. The Autobot in charge of this stronghold, Ultra Magnus, knows the Decepticons outnumber his forces, and that his only hope is escape.

"How are we doing out there, Springer?" Ultra Magnus asked his fellow Autobot.

"Not very good, Magnus," Springer replied, "We're losing more and more Autobots out there! We've got to pull out, NOW!"

Ultra Magnus turned to Blurr, his messenger, an also the fastest Autobot on Cybertron. "Blurr," Magnus said to him, "I want you to go prepare some shuttles for us to escape on… and do it quickly!"

"SurenoproblemUltraMagnusI'llgetitdoneinablinkofanoptic!" Blurr shouted, speeding down the hall.

"Alright then," Ultra Magnus began, "Who do we have here, then?"

"Springer here!" said Springer.

"Kup here!" said Kup.

"Arcee here!" said Arcee.

"Alright then," Ultra Magnus began, "Counting Blurr and me, we're all present and accounted for, let's roll!"

"Wait a second!" exclaimed Arcee, "Where's Hot Rod?"

"Dammit!" Ultra Magnus shouted, "Where the hell is Hot Rod THIS TIME!?!"

"Should I go look for him, Ultra Magnus?" Kup asked.

"Yes, Kup, please do," Ultra Magnus answered, "But we can't wait forever, so hurry up!"

Kup transformed and sped off in search of Hot Rod.

TIME: That very moment. PLACE: The streets of Cybertron. Hot Rod is speeding down the street, but not by pleasure. He's trying to escape the Decepticon jet warriors that are pursuing him!

"Gotta lose these guys!" he thought. He found an alley to duck into. Once he examined the area and found out that it was safe, he transformed to robot mode. "How did I get into this mess?" he thought. He found his thoughts drifting back to a few hours ago, when he broke into the Decepticon fortress.

TIME: a few hours earlier. PLACE: Decepticon fortress. Hot Rod has just broken in. 

"If only the others could see me now!" he thought. He also thought of Ultra Magnus' warning of never going near the Decepticon fortress, let alone _breaking into it!_ "I don't' think Ultra Magnus will mind," he thought, "Once he gets the information I get from here, he'll be to busy thanking me!" Now, Hot Rod knew he wasn't programmed for espionage missions like the legendary Autobot spy Mirage, but he thought he could do just a little bit of everything. Ultra Magnus once said of him "I don't know weather to call him a genius or a moron."

As he crept through the halls, Hot Rod noticed that there was hardly any Decepticon activity within the fortress. He didn't let this bother him, he had more important things on his mind, mainly, the Decepticon war room.

"This must be the place…" he thought, pressing his head against the door. He could only hear faint voices, but he understood who they were, Megatron, Shockwave, Soundwave, and Starscream.

"How goes the battle, Shockwave?" Megatron asked.

"Very well, Megatron," Shockwave responded, "We've driven the Autobots to their main fortress, also, they plan on making an escape."

"We must crush them NOW!" Starscream shouted, "If they make it to Earth, they'll get Optimus Prime to come with reinforcements!"

"Do you actually think I'm that foolish, Starscream?" Megatron asked, "I already plan on blasting any shuttle out of the sky!"

After hearing this, Hot Rod stepped back. The floor below him creaked. It was to small a sound to be heard by any normal sound sensor, but Soundwave picked it up instantly.

"Megatron!" Soundwave shouted, "Intruder!"

After hearing that, Hot Rod beat a hasty retreat.

"Starscream!" Megatron shouted, "Round up Thundercracker and Skywarp and track that Autobot scum down!"

"With pleasure, almighty Megatron!" Starscream replied with a sarcastic tone.

Hot Rod had by the exited the fortress, transformed into car mode, and was speeding down the street, but the three Decepticon jet warriors were hot on his tail, shooting at him. He then found the alley to duck into, where he currently is.

"I'm in a hell of a jam," he thought to himself, "If only I was Optimus Prime! He'd know what to do in this situation! I wish I could be that powerful someday!"

While Hot Rod thought about being Optimus Prime, he had little time to know that Skywarp had snuck behind him.

"Alright, Autobot!" Skywarp said, "Are you ready to die?"

Hot Rod didn't reply, he just stood there momentarily before turning around and decking Skywarp. Skywarp fell back, but quickly got up and wrestled Hot Rod to the floor. "Answer my question now, Autobot," Skywarp asked, "Are you ready to die?"

"Forgive the kid for not answering, Decepticon," a voice from behind said, "But we're in a hurry!" The figure lifted Skywarp off of Hot Rod and threw him into a wall. Hot Rod got up and got a good look at the figure, it was Kup.

"Where the hell have you been kid?" Kup asked.

"I was at the Decepticon fortress collecting…" Hot Rod began, but before he could finish, he was cut off by Kup.

"The Decepticon fortress!?!" Kup asked, bewildered, "What the hell we're you doing there, you damned fool!?!"

"I was collecting information!" Hot Rod replied, "Information I have to get to Ultra Magnus A.S.A.P!"

"Alright then," Kup said, "Let's roll out, kid!"

The two Autobots transformed and sped off.

TIME: A few moments later. PLACE: Autobot fortress. Ultra Magnus and the others are waiting for the arrival of Hot Rod and Kup.

"One more minute…" Ultra Magnus said.

"Hey!" said Hot Rod, running in with Kup, "I've got important information!"

"Where have you been, Hot Rod?" Ultra Magnus asked.

"That's not important right now!" Hot Rod replied, "But this is! The Decepticons are planning to blow our shuttle out of the sky!"

"Don't worry, Hot Rod." Ultra Magnus said, "I've got a plan! Everybody on the shuttle!"

The Autobots boarded the shuttle and it took off. From the Decepticon observation deck, Megatron gave the order.

"Blast it out of the sky!" he commanded.

The shuttle was bombarded with blasts, explosions rocked the shuttle from within.

"Whatever your plan was, Ultra Magnus," Springer began, "You'd better do it now!"

"Don't worry Springer!" Ultra Magnus replied, pushing a button on his console, "I'm activating it… NOW!" 

After Ultra Magnus pushed the button, the main part of the shuttle detached, and the rest exploded.

"See!" Ultra Magnus said, "Now the Decepticons will think we perished in that explosion!"

"Pretty smart there, Ultra Magnus." Springer said.

"Well guys," Ultra Magnus began, "Next stop, Earth!"

"I hope this "Earth" has some good roads to speed down on!" Hot Rod said, sitting back in his chair.

EPOLOUGE: On Earth, Blaster is relaying a message to Optimus Prime.

"Yo, Boss!" Blaster began, "I got a message to you from Ultra Magnus! Wanna hear it?"

"Play it for me, Blaster." Optimus replied.

Blaster transformed into a radio and played back the message.

"Hello, Optimus!" Ultra Magnus' voice said, "I hope you don't mind having to put up with some more of us Autobots down there, cause we just got driven of Cybertron!"

Blaster transformed back into robot mode. "That's all there is boss!" he said.

"So it's finally happened…" Optimus said, walking away.

# TO BE CONTINUED


End file.
